heney ballmann



(No Mqd'el.)

J; H. BALLMANN;

SOAPPOLD BRACKET. I v

No. 328,999. Patented Oct. 27, 1885.

UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

JQHENRY BALIJMANN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

SCAFFOLD-BRACKET.

SPECIPICATION'forming part of Letters Patent No. 328,999, dated October 27, 1885.

Application filed August 18, 1885. Serial No. 174,761. (No model.) 1

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J. HENRY BALLMANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Scaffold Brackets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in adjustable scaftbld-brack ets-such as are used to form, in connection with ladders and a platform, movable scaffolds for painters or builders to work on; and the objects of myjimprovements are to provide an adjustable scatfold-bracket, stronger and more secure, and one which will enable the workmen to build a higher scafiold with the same size ladders,than the ones now in use.

I attain these objects by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved adjustable scaffold-bracket when supporting the platform from above, and Fig. 2 the same when supporting the platform from below.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

a a are the steps of the ladder L.

B are the platform-supports. These supports are constructed in the following manner: An L-shaped flat iron bar, I), the short arm of which terminates in a hook, I), is securely riveted to a similar bar, both together forming the T-shaped support B, which,with its hooks b b, is hooked to one of the steps a of the ladder L.

The ends of the long arms of the bars I) b are separated and a space left to receive the end of the brace O. This brace O is made out of flat iron, and is pivoted to and between the ends of the bars I) b in such a manner that the brace can be laid close onto the support B, either above or below the said support, and thus be used either as a suspending or a propping braceto the support B. The support B being formed of two separate bars b b riveted together, and the brace (3 being pivoted to and between the ends of said bars I) b, a strong bracket is obtained and the liability of accidents by breakage lessened.

The brace G is provided with a series of holes, a c 0, cut through the center of the bar. 011 the brace 0 slides up and down the double-hooked sleeve F. This sleeve F is secured to the brace O at any desired point by a bolt I or pin, 19, extending through holes in the side plates of the sleeve F and one of the holes 0 a c in the brace G. The sleeve Fis made out of cast or wrought iron, and is provided with hooks f f, one projecting out and bending upward from the face and the other projecting out and bending downward from the rear plate of the sleeve F. These hooks f f take hold of the steps a a of the ladder L, the face-hook being used when the brace O is supporting the platform G from below, as shown in Fig. 2, the rear hook being used when the brace C is supporting the platform G from above, as shown in Fig. 1. To prevent the hooks ff from becoming disengaged from the steps a and causing accidents, I use thumb-screws hh, or any other suitable locking device, forming a clampz underlt-he steps a after the hook f is in place.

Having the hooked sleeve F adjustable on the brace 0 enables the operator to adjust the platform to any angle the ladder L maybe raised at.

By securing the sleeve F to the brace O by the pin 1), and thus rigidly connecting the hook f to,the brace O, alljdangers of accidents that are liable to happen where a ratchet-bar or a rack with a loop or ringffare used are avoided. By using the adjustable doublehooked sleeve F, and by pivoting the brace C to the support B, as :described, ;I am enabled to support the platform G from below, using the brace O as a prop. This makes it possible to raise the scaffold-platform to and hang the same to the uppermost step of the ladder L an advantage over the scaffold-brackets now in use. The end piece of the brace O that extends beyond the,pivot-point A e platform G is supported from b In sl P lock, and preventsZthe platform G froampng off from the supports B B. Thelcl com ews 1h h prevent the hooks b b from be stg accidentally disengagedlfromlthe lad ep c.

Having thus fully described my improvements,what I claim,and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is

1. A scaffold-bracket having the support B, formed of the two L-shaped bars b b, riveted together and provided with the hooks b b, as described, the brace O,pivoted near its end to and between the ends of the bars I; b, a series B, formed of the two L-shaped bars bl), riv-- eted together and terminating in the hooks b b, as described, the hooks b I) being provided with the thumb screws or clamps h h, to keep the same securely on the steps a when desired, the brace C, pivoted near its end to and between the ends of the bars b b, aseries of holes, 0, cut through the center of the brace O,

the adjustable sleeve F, sliding on the brace O, and provided with the double hooks f f, shaped and located as described, the thumb screws or clamps h h on said hooks f f, for holding the 20 same securely on the steps a, and the bolt or pin 1), forming means to secure the sleeve F to the brace C, all constructed as described, and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name 25 to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J. HENRY BALLMANN.

\Vitnesses:

THEODORE LANGBEIN, CHARLES AUESHAEUSEL, J r. 

